Why it matters: The U.S. News rankings include data on more than 20,500 public schools in 50 states and the District of Columbia. “The gold and silver awards reflect which schools are most successfully preparing students for college, based on students participating in and achieving passing scores on Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate tests.” The state with the highest percentage of high schools earning gold or silver awards was Massachusetts, the state that leads the nation on NAEP and other measures of academic progress. In the 2018 U.S. News Best High Schools rankings, one South Carolina school earned a gold medal and 23 earned silver medals.
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The jobs are in SC. Where is the workforce?
Why it matters: Companies like Volvo and Mercedes have located to SC, but finding a qualified workforce has been tough-going. In the three-county Charleston metro area, the labor force actually shrank by more than 3,000 people over the past year — to 378,544 — despite more than 10,000 people moving to the area.
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College graduates think they are prepared; employers disagree
Why it matters: This study suggests that employers see skills gaps in key areas where college students don’t believe gaps exist, particularly in areas like professionalism and work ethic.
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U.S. News and World Report ranks South Carolina 48th among states in education
Why it matters: U.S. News and World Report: Best States for Education ranks states in higher education as well as primary and secondary school and pre-K education.
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Quality Counts 2018: Grading the States
Why it matters: Education Week’s annual state-by-state assessment of public education paints a portrait of middling performance overall with patches of high achievement, along with perennial struggles to improve on the part of states mired at the bottom.
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SC Earns a C- on State Report Card, Ranks 42nd in nation
Why it matters: Education Week publishes Quality Counts annually, grading states on annual performance. This is the 22nd edition of the publication and South Carolina has earned a ranking of 42.
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Former Kershaw schools chief doesn’t care for EOC or emphasis on testing
Why it matters: This opinion editorial, published by The State, is part of a series of opinion pieces authored by Dr. Frank Morgan, retired Superintendent of the School District of Kershaw County.
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EOC member weighs in on the need to hold high expectations for students and schools
Why it matters: Rep. Dwight Loftis, a current EOC members, states we pay $9.5 billion every year for our SC schools. So, what is wrong with accountability?
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